Socceroos legend John Aloisi says A-League players face ‘mental’ challenge in Europe

Australian talent heading to Europe to play their club football sometimes suffer from a lack of A-League games and the shortage of matches in the national competition with a proper consequence, according to a Socceroos great.

Former Brisbane Roar striker Thomas Waddingham has made the move overseas to join English club Portsmouth. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Socceroos great John Aloisi says the A-League needs to become more “cut-throat” to better prepare Australian players for European club football.

Last week, Socceroos coach Tony Popovic spoke of the need for young Australian strikers such as recently signed Portsmouth attacker Thomas Waddingham, Western United’s Noah Botic and Adelaide United’s Archie Goodwin to “physically” improve if they want to have successful careers in Europe.

“When you go to Europe, the expectation rises and the biggest difference is the physical side,” Popovic said.

“Physically, the demands are extremely high. What you’re doing one day in training (in Australia), that’s expected every single day (in Europe).

“If you can do that, then you can make the jump.”

Aloisi, who left Australia as a teenager for a 15-year career in Europe that included stints in Belgium, Italy, England and Spain, agreed that the “physical leap” was important but felt the “big challenge” was the mental aspect of playing in Europe.

Western United’s Noah Botic is among a handful of young Australian strikers to shine in the A-League this season. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

“The physical leap is definitely there because you’ve got a lot of games,’’ the former star striker and current Western United coach said.

“We played 26 (regular A-League season) games, and you look at Waddingham, (who has gone) to (an English) Championship side that’s going to play 46 league games plus Cup games … that’s the biggest difference.

“Physically, our players are good for the league that we’re playing in. You won’t get anyone running as much as our players or, putting in the kilometres that they do in a game, but it’s being able to back that up week in, week out, every three days for 10 months of the year.

“That’s the big challenge, and that’s not only physical, that’s also mental.

“I noticed the big difference in Europe was the mental side, more than anything, because you have your pressures, not only from your supporters, but the media, they scrutinise a lot more over there in certain periods during the season.

“Your fans can get on your back if you’re not doing well, or if the team’s not doing well, and it feels sometimes there’s a lot to play for, whether that’s relegation, whether that’s promotion, whether it’s getting into (European competitions) … there can be that added pressure that you’re not used to.”

Socceroos great and Western United coach John Aloisi wants more games in the A-League to better prepare Australian players for club careers in Europe. Picture: Scott Gardiner/Getty Images

Aloisi said the A-League finals series brought somewhat of a similar pressure, as well as needing perform well in every match to “get to the highest level”.

However, he said fewer club games in Australia and the lack of promotion and relegation to and from the A-League respectively didn’t help young Australian talent in preparation for what to expect in Europe.

“(We need) more games … (and) in Europe that promotion, relegation is a big thing, players can come and go very quickly, so if you’re not performing or not at a level, players can be let go or go out on loan or sold within months,” said Aloisi, whose in-form Western United teams hosts the Central Coast Mariners at Ironbark Fields on Wednesday night.

“It’s more cut-throat over there. The way our league is shaped, it’s probably not as cut-throat, but that’s not going to change anytime soon.”

Originally published as Socceroos legend John Aloisi says A-League players face ‘mental’ challenge in Europe